Outbreak
by Yeshua
Summary: It is several years after the eruption of the Iifa and the final recession of the mist. As of lately, Gaia is in a state of relative peace. But someone holds a deadly secre
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note: Ha…you thought I would never come back, did you? Well, for a while I thought I wouldn't. It wasn't because of the reviews, it wasn't because I had writer's block, it was purely stress and anxiety. Oh…and the fact that I ran out of ideas. But then the idea for Outbreak came back. I got the idea while reading Lethally Hot over in the Yu-Gi-Oh fanfiction section. Go read. It's really good. But you have to search for it, because the author hasn't updated in a while. So..uh..let me run over the logistics of this ficcy.

**Summary:** It is several years after the eruption of Iifa and the final recession of the mist. As of lately, Gaia is in a state of relative peace, but someone holds a deadly secret. In mere days, the Forgotten Continent and the Mist Continent are seized by a mysterious illness with symptoms that no one has ever seen before. And then, it strikes down Kuja as he comes back from a business trip. In order to save him, the FF9 group must travel into the mind and body of a killer…and survive.

**Rating:** This chapter is PG-13, but the next chapter won't. Please, please, tell people about this fic if you like it. Because it's hard to see once I change the rating to R. Enjoy!

Prelude~Black Sunrise

Normal Point of View:

          It was a quiet, still morning in the tall marches of the Qu's. For Quan and Quina, this was the best type of morning to catch delicious green frogs. _Yes,_ Quina thought to himself. _It would be a good morning for a good breakfast._ He glanced up at the seagulls ahead with his tongue lolling out of his mouth. _Seagulls would be lovely too. But they be too far. Quina won't catch up._

          He shook his head somewhat as Quan stepped through the march grasses. Quina wiggled his toes in the mud, reveling at how good it felt. He continued wiggling his toes until Quan stopped some paces ahead.

          "Gods, look at all the frogs!"

          At the sound of his voice, Quina came running…and tripped. He fell face first into muddy/bloody water and sat up. Lying in front of him was the carcass of a crane. In the crane's mouth was a bloody frog. As he glanced around, this same scene was repeated tenfold.

          "What happened here? The frogs…they all spoiled."

          The slight movement in the crane in front of him caught his attention.

          "Quina, get up!" Quan shouted.

          Curiousity kept Quina's eyes transfixed on the carcass as it opened up…and squirted blood in his face. A scream…

**_I'll show you Gaia_**

**_I'll show you all…_**

**_And watch as you bleed your insides out._**

**_There won't be anyone alive that can stop…_**

**_The outbreak…_**

Dali~Gaia

Noonday

Zidane:

          Somehow, I could never get tired of coming back to Dali. I mean Alexandria was an excellent city, but I would be there for the rest of my life. Dagger didn't seem to think so. Whenever I'd mention it, she would give me a look and ignore me. I suppose she knew as well as I did that our whims would keep us far away from Alexandria. Maybe that's why she stayed home. I placed my hands behind my neck as I walked down the cobblestone path, dodging little children along the way. It was time for the annual children's festival down here.

         I found it funny that just a few years ago, parents wouldn't let children play outside with all the mist. Ah, but the mist was the thing of the past. And it would stay in the past. Heh, that sounds like something Kuja would say. As of late, he's been really artistic while confined to the castle. Well, he wasn't confined now, thanks to me. Sure, I spent a few weeks in the guest bedroom because of it, but it made Kuja very happy. So much so that he painted a picture of us and hung it up in the front foyer.

          Ha, ha, it still looks good. I wondered where he was now. He said he had somewhere to be today. I turned the corner and continued my long deliberate stroll down the street. Children ran past me with balloons trailing, chattering excitedly about a dog they found in the street. Normally, I would have continued on with my business of walking down the street, but I was curious. As far as I've heard, curiosity never killed the genome. And so, I followed the children down the street until we reached a small crowd.

          "Alright, step aside," I said calmly, expecting to find a dead ooglop or something.

          The crowd of kids parted with a gasp revealing the bloody carcass of a kid and a dog. Both looked like they had been through hell and back.

          "Holy s…er…I mean crap! Listen kids, I want you to get the mayor quickly and go back home to your mothers!"

          A chorus of 'Aw…' greeted me almost immediately. I hate kids.

          "Now!" I shouted.

          The children gasped and ran down the street, leaving me alone with the dead. I knelt down and poked the small child. Somehow, I doubted the dog had committed such an atrocity.

          "Zidane Tribal."

          I turned around with a grim look on my face. It was Dali's Mayor…whom I tastefully disliked.

          "What happened here?"

          "Some children found it. I sent them home."

          "Do you think it was the dog?"

          I glanced back at the gruesome sight although it hurt my stomach to.

          "No. I think it was something else. I don't want to make it seem like I'm trying to run your town, but you need to cancel the children's festival just in case."

          The mayor's face turned beet red.

          "I can't cancel that. It will damage the town's reputation!"

          This was like talking to a brick wall. Literally.

          "Right, fine," I muttered as I walked past him.

          I'm no science genius, but I could tell something was unnatural about that child's death. I had a bad feeling about it…

Author's Note: Lemme know what you think. You know what to do.


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note; Sorry about the spacing problem. Microsoft Word 2003 must hate me or something. I'll keep experimenting with it to make it work properly.

**Summary:** Same as always.

**Characters:** Basically the entire FFIX gang, including Kuja.

**Rating:** R…for extremely graphic descriptions. Maybe I'm being overly dramatic. R…for graphic descriptions.

Outbreak

Chapter 1

Madain Sari, Gaia

5:57 P.M. Gaian Standard

Eiko Carol:

"Ah the coastal sunset. How I'd enjoy you more if I wasn't strapped to the back of a chocobo!"

Vivi gave me an exasperated look and shook his head.

"Come now. It's not that bad."

_Easy for you to say._ I humphed and patted the chocobo's side gently. Actually, I didn't mind riding on the chocobo. It was one of the rare times I got to do something like this. Well…it was better than spending time back in Madain Sari. I felt uncomfortable about staying there after having a strange dream. The dream was prophetic in nature that much I knew. I shivered subconsciously. There were loads and loads of dead bodies lying on top of each other. Some had their entrails spread out in unusual symbols across the floor.

In this dream, the bodies were in the middle of the streets of Alexandria City. And it would always end with someone spitting blood upon my person. I didn't know what it meant.

"Eiko, are you ok?"

I glared at Vivi as best as I could while trying to wipe the memory of the dream from my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Let's just hurry up to Condie Petie," I snapped.

Vivi nodded and lessened his grip on the reins. His chocobo shot forward with a mighty 'Kweh!' across the plains that separated my home from Condie Petie. (A/N: I may be wrong…so sue me.) I loosened my hold on the reins and let my chocobo go flying. Minutes later, we reached the main bridge leading to the city of the dwarves. Cold rain fell down from the sky as we sat there. For a second, the city of the dwarves appeared almost foreboding. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Do we have to go in there?" I asked, undoing the straps that held me in place on top of the chocobo.

Vivi slid down to the ground softly and sighed.

"Are you afraid, Eiko?"

Am I, the mighty Eiko, afraid?

"Not a chance."

That was a lie. I didn't want to go in there because the place had a stale aura. Something happened in there, I just knew it. Vivi grabbed the reins for his chocobo and stomped his feet.

"Let's keep going. Remember, all I have to do is pick up a potion for no. 159."

I nodded and grabbed my chocobo's reins, not sure of what lay ahead of us. The moment we entered the street, I expected to hear a hearty 'rally-ho!' But none came. That sent a chill down my back. The dwarves were always out to shout rally-ho! And then, I caught sight of it. By it, I was referring to a bloody dwarven body lying half-crooked by the entrance way.

Vivi cringed and looked away as I got closer to it. I nearly gagged at the sight of its arms. Those chubby little arms that could help deliver a hearty handshake were filled with sores that had festered and tore open. In some places, there was no definable hint of skin at all. There was just muscle and fat and bone. It looked like something burned the skin off, but what? I shivered.

"What happened to her?" Vivi asked.

Like I know.

"I don't know. L-Let's just try to find the guy with your potion."

"Right."

We both rounded the street corner cautiously, eyes open for whatever came next. What came next was non lethal. There was green writing sprawled all over the walls and the ground. Most of it was unreadable scribbling, but what I could make out disturbed me.

"'The dwarven god has come! Stay away or the bloody fever will catch you. Rally-'"

The rest was blurred and smeared. The cold rain that had started before increased in intensity. My chocobo bucked and reared up, trying to get away. I attempted to calm it down, but it pulled away before I could do any good. Vivi's chocobo disappeared seconds after mine, leaving us without a faster mode of transportation. Gray flakes began to fall down from the sky, almost like snow.

"I have a feeling that stuff is not snow," Vivi commented.

I stuck my tongue out and tasted it. It had a metallic taste to it…almost like blood. I gagged loudly and pulled my hair.

"Ugh! It's blood! Quick Vivi, let's just get out of here!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!"

Freya:

It was an ominous sign that it had stopped raining over Burmecia. I watched it stop from my bedroom window and it made me worry. Never in one billon years has it ever stopped raining in this region. Something was amiss here. I pushed the long blankets off of my body and stretched. The weather had turned cold and uninviting this week. Many Burmecians had just stayed inside, not liking the feel of the weather.

I, like them, went out rarely, content to just sit in my chair and rest. But not today. Today, I had a job to do. I moved across the warm hardwood floor to my closet and opened it. I took out my favorite red cloak and grabbed one of my spears. I prayed that I wouldn't need it, but you never know. I yawned and walked the short distance to my door. With one twist, I had it open and was looking down the main street.

Red haze floated along the surface of the street…almost like fog. I considered walking through it, but my past experiences with mist told me to be cautious. (A/N: It's about to get a little Resident Evil/Cabin Feverish here.) And then, I heard a low moan. It was soft at first, but as the moments passed it grew stronger…louder. Out of the fog emerged a small child with blood from her neck to her toes.

Her eyes appeared to be bloodshot, but I wasn't sure. Yet still, I lifted my staff in an offensive position. The child coughed once and fell to its knees. Its stomach heaved as it coughed up blood. Lots and lots of it.

"What the…"

My hand moved to close my front door…and the child started charging on all fours. I stepped back and slammed the door shut, tripping whatever locks I could. CRASH! A hand slammed through the window and flailed about, sending glass flying everywhere.

"Ok, this is not going to work."

I turned around and scrambled up the steps to my bedroom. The sound of the windows being broken open reached my ears and I jumped out onto the balcony. My only option at this point was to run for it. I jumped up on the roof and took off running. Along the ground, I saw hundreds of dead bodies…all Burmecian. My heart grieved for them…but it was too late. The only thing I could do to help them was to find out what did this. Well, this sounds like another journey.

Kuja Tribal:

I patted the firm muscular wings of my dragon lovingly and sighed. It had been a long day indeed for me. Humans were so trivial sometimes, especially with their technology. I wished that Zidane would have let me take the Invincible. But he had business to take care of. Plus, I didn't want to incite chaos by stealing the Invincible. Maybe I would have been killed for it. Who knows?

"Silver, touch down in Dali. I want to buy a couple of potions there."

Silver snorted and circled down below the clouds. I smoothed my hair back, which had gotten a little wet through my excursions. Ah, no matter. That would be taken care of later. Silver rested all four paws in the dirt and shook her head vigorously. I took this as my clue to get off and start walking. However, the moment I stepped foot on the cobblestone street, something powerful and dead hit my nose.

I gagged, trying to pinch my nose shut. But the smell stayed. Not even a spell could get rid of that. I glanced around, while breathing through my mouth and noticed that there was blood everywhere, bubbling. Fortunately enough, the sight of blood DID NOT bother me at all. But where and what was the source? I sniffed the air lightly, inhaling the metallic scent of blood. I continued down the street cautiously.

I had a strange feeling that something was just waiting around the corner to kill me. Not that I'd mind, though. Still, I kept my body tensed up for anything. All those years of painting had taught me how to be calm and relaxed in any situation. The sound of child-like laughter met my ears and I stopped. All of a sudden, a small child walked out from seemingly nowhere, blood dribbling down its chin.

Its face was covered with open festering sores and it's eyes—if you could call them eyes—were black, completely black.

"He told me to stay home, but I didn't listen. I played with the little black doggy."

How unusual.

"Aren't you supposed to be with your family? Hey, tell me their names. Maybe I can escort you home."

The child laughed.

"It doesn't matter now. They're all dead now. Just like you will be."

Yes, Kuja, just talk to the demented children why don't you. Somehow I think that some part of me enjoys having near-death experiences. The child jumped up and lunged at me. Should I…nuke this child even though it is potentially innocent? I didn't have much time to think about it as Silvere pounced down on the child just inches in front of me. I was forced to watch as he tore the feral child apart with claws and teeth.

I walked up to his side and slapped it, which meant nonverbally 'Let it go'. Silver obediently dropped the body, sending blood all over me.

"Ugh…thanks Silver. I'll return the favor when I give you a bath."

Alexandria Castle

Hour Later

Zidane Tribal:

I honestly wondered what was going through Kuja's head when he walked in the front foyer of the castle…covered with blood.

"What happened?" I asked.

Kuja shrugged.

"Silver and I stopped in Dali. While I was walking down the street, we saw this kid covered with sores, festering sores. It said something about a dog and how it went to play with it. And then it attacked me."

It almost sounded like a lie, but I knew better.

"Were you injured?"

"No, Silver got to it before me."

"Then why the blood?"

"Silver dropped it and blood went everywhere."

"The rest of my friends are on the way here. Some of them have seen things that would make us sick. They think someone's behind it."

Kuja raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? What areas?"

"Burmecia, Condie Petie…and Dali."

I was surprised to see a smirk inch across Kuja's face. It wasn't the smirk normal reversed for insanity…but it was pretty damn close.

"I…have to show you something. Sit tight, I'll get it for you."

Just like that, he disappeared. I could tell by the somewhat loud thump above me that he had just teleported. I had to wonder what make my friends so frightened. And what was so special about those three areas? Did the appearance of those two bodies create havoc in Dali? Kuja popped back down in the chair with a frame in his hand.

"Don't think I'm crazy, brother, but look at this."

I took it from him and glanced at it. It was a painting of Burmecia, Condie Petie, Dali and Qu's March each with their separate sections. All of them were covered in red paint that resembled blood and had blurred form of a child in front of it. The child…Kuja and Freya saw it. But where did Condie Petie and Qu's March came in? I glanced up at Kuja and saw that his eyes were closed.

"You saw this…?"

Kuja turned away from me.

"When I was painting, a vision seized me. The end result was that. Now, if you would excuse me, I need a bath."

I blinked. Kuja was…acting weird.

Author's Note: Sorry if it sounds a little confusing. Just keep reviewing.


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Note: *looks at her reviews box* It's empty. Please…review this. I'm putting a lot of work into it. And with that, let's get on with the chapter.

Outbreak

Chapter 2

Alexandria Castle

Kuja Tribal:

          I stared at my painting for a very long time…just studying it. I had to wonder if the vision was timed or something. How could I have known this was going to happen? I rubbed my arm gently, being careful not to aggravate the wounds there. You see, I didn't tell Zidane where the red paint came from. Heh, it wouldn't take him long to figure it out. Not long at all. All of the areas in the painting were connected by the blood and the little girl.

          But Silver destroyed the girl. That meant that this was over, right? So why did I feel so unsettled? I got up from my chair and walked to the window on the other side of my room. I was on the side of the castle where the lake could be seen. I liked it that way. I mean…the lake was an excellent subject. It always has. I pushed my window open somewhat, letting some fresh air in. It ruffled some of my front feathers, but I didn't care all that much.

          What bothered me was…the fact that Zidane's friends had seen it too. Why them? Was someone trying to kill me? Or anyone else? A brisk knock at my door, making me jump. I guess I was so deep in thought that sound wasn't familiar to my ears anymore.

          "Yes…?"

          My voice echoed throughout the room eerily.

          "Hey Kuja, we're about to start the meeting. Are you still coming?"

          Zidane. I threw my robe on the bed and double-checked my normal clothing underneath.

          "Hold on, Zidane."

          I picked up the painting from earlier and opened the door. Zidane nodded and started down the hallway. I followed after him slowly, letting my thoughts wander. What if someone was attacking those areas to flush people out? But if…something like a virus were released on Gaia…

          "Catastropic," I muttered to myself.

          Zidane stopped in front of a pair of large double doors and gave me a wary look.

          "What was that?"

          "Oh…um nothing."

          "Are you sure?"

          I nodded, wishing that he would just leave me alone. It wasn't like I was annoyed with him…I just wanted time to think. And that was just not going to happen. Zidane opened the double doors to the conference room with a huff. Several pairs of eyes just stared at me as if I was nonexistent…or dead. Had their reaction been anything less, I believe I would have shot myself. And then someone spoke.

          "I don't believe you let him live, Zidane. He doesn't deserve a—"

          It was Freya, the native from Burmecia who spoke first. Zidane and Garnet moved to interrupt her at once, but it was I who finally stopped it.

          "I know you think that I don't deserve to live. I can read your expression just as well as I can paint. Now…stop wasting my time and get on with this meeting."

          Silence. Good.

          "Listen, we are all here to talk about the mysterious happenings at our homes," Zidane began.

          "By the gods, everyone in Burmecia is dead. Killed by some…child!" Freya shouted.

          "It killed all of the dwarves," Vivi said softly.

          "And it got Dali," Zidane whispered.

          I ducked in a corner and sat there, shrouded by shadows. Condie Petie…Dali…Burmecia…why? What did Qu's March have to do with it? All by a child…why? What significance did the child have? A sharp chill went through my body and my vision went blank. And then, I was in the center of Qu's March, knee-deep in march-water. Dead frogs littered the surface of the water all along my body. Cranes lay along with them, their bodies bloody and broken.

          'What is this?'

          'This is where it all started. You won't have long if you want to stop it and me.'

          'What do you mean?'

          Laughter. The frogs and cranes disappeared and the march began to bubble violently. Two long dead Qu bodies floated up to the surface. I gagged when I finally recognized who they were: Quan and Quina.

          'What did you do to them?'

          'I infected them and they died. Just like those after them…except for your friends.'

          'You mean Zidane's friends.'

          'They are equal prey.'

          'Shut up. You act as if you have already defeated them!'

          '…I've conquered you.'

          My body erupted in pain almost immediately, turning my vision white. I grabbed the side of the chair, attempting to brace myself.

          "Kuja!"

          Another wave of pain shot through my body and I screamed. I had never felt pain like this before…and I wasn't sure how long I was going to last.

          "Kuja what's wrong with you? Get up!"

          I reached out with my hand and grabbed on to whatever I deemed appropriate.

          "Zidane…I…I'm…having trouble b-breathing…"

          "Cura!"

          Pain rocked my body, bathing my vision in white hot fire. I shrieked.

          "That's strange…Cura always works…"

          I fought against the urge to scream 'Well it's NOT working' in her face. I doubt that would have helped.

          "Kuja, tell us where it hurts."

          Was that a stupid question? It hurt everywhere, especially my stomach.

          "Everywhere…"

          "Someone get an ambulance! Hurry!"

Conference Room-Two Hours Later

Zidane Tribal:

          If you would have asked me to describe what happened within the last few hours, I would have said chaos, pure and simple. I wasn't sure I could leave him in the hospital alone. Kuja…had a problem with doctors hovering around his body. Well…I doubt he had enough power to be catastrophic. The others looked at me solemnly, knowing how I felt about my brother. They were kind enough to not mention his role in this mystery. I sat Kuja's painting down on the table softly. Dagger picked it up and stared at it.

          "The red paint…it's blood," She whispered.

          "Blood? Let me see," Freya muttered.

          Dagger handed the painting over with a frown. Freya ran her claws over the surface lightly and grimaced.

          "Whoever did this must have been stricken with creative madness. It's like the blood was mixed with the paint."

          Oh…Kuja…I don't believe you. I knew he didn't tell me about that on purpose. It wasn't like he cared about me worrying about him, he just didn't want me in his business. He was just funny that way.

          "Who made this, Zidane?" Freya asked.

          "Kuja…did."

          "How? Seeing as how Kuja cares more about his appearance than anything else, how would he obtain blood?"

          "He said he had a vision while he was painting and when it was over, this was the end result."

          "The child that attacked me…it's in all of them."

          Eiko got up from her chair and stared at the picture.

          "That's funny. I didn't see the child in Condie Petie."

          Freya gave Eiko a concerned look.

          "You didn't?"

          "Nope."

          A soft knock came at the double doors to the conference room, startling us all. I opened them with a sigh and saw…

          "Mikoto."

          "At your service."

          She walked inside the conference room and brought out a large sheet of parchment paper.

          "Read it."

          I picked it up and scanned over it.

          "'Greetings King Zidane and others. It may have come to your attention that many people have fallen ill…in various towns. And…Kuja has fallen ill as well. It's a disease you see. A disease you can't see. It infects the host within twenty-four hours and turns it's organs into mush. Heh…you'll barely have days to save him. Worried? Not as much as you will be when I say that there's no cure. But you knew that right? It's a shame that you can't find me…but oh well. I'll entertain myself by spreading the virus all over Gaia.'"

Author's Note: Cliffy. Muahaha. Want more? Review it. 


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Thank you for reviewing my fic, Black Mage Dad. I appreciate your support. Same thing goes to the others.

Outbreak

Chapter 3

Alexandria Castle

Zidane Tribal:

          Disgust was making it extremely hard to keep my temper under control. I couldn't believe someone…set Kuja up to get sick. Dagger rested her hand on my shoulder, offering her comfort with silence.

          "Zidane," Vivi muttered.

          "That's not fair! Even Kuja doesn't deserve that," Eiko said softly.

          "Zidane, I ran a scan on the ink contained in the document. My guess is that the virus originated in Oelivert," Mikoto muttered. (A/N: I actually forgot how to spell Oelivert. I hope it's correct.)

          That was all well and good, but what about Kuja?

          "What about Kuja?" I asked.

          "What do you want to do about him?"

          "You've read the letter, Mikoto. Anyone who is affected by that virus won't have long to live."

          Mikoto shrugged.

          "Then it's too late for him."

          I turned around with a snarl and lunged at her. Dagger grabbed me by the waist, holding me back with all of her strength.

          "How can you just dismiss his existence like that? He's your brother!" I shouted.

          "Zidane," Dagger said warily.

          Mikoto stared at me unflinchingly.

          "It's unfortunate that he got sick, but right now, we need to focus on finding and containing that virus!"

          Freya stood up and shook her head.

          "Maybe we can do both. It will be beneficial to us to have a survivor of the virus along."

          "Please, Mikoto. For Zidane," Dagger pleaded.

          Mikoto turned around with a huff and sighed.

          "I'll see what I can do."

Lindblum General Hospital

1:42 A.M.

Kuja Tribal:

          If feeling like crap was the mysterious voice's intention, then he had it all covered. I grabbed the edges of the hospital bed and shifted slightly. It hurt to move, it really did. My skin made it worse. Just minutes after I arrived in the hospital, my skin began peeling off, literally. Flecks and flecks of it just kept coming off. And now, even as I lay on this hospital bed, my skin had basically melded itself to the fabric of the sheets.

          Although I hated the feeling it gave me, at least there was female nurses to change me. I guess that made me feel better. But not by much. The doctors couldn't find out what was wrong with me. They said it was some kind of new virus. Well, damn, I could have told you that. But their diagnosis was grim, even for me. Suddenly, I wished Zidane was here. He could end it for me. That's all I needed. The door to my room swung open and a nurse with a mask over her nose and mouth walked in.

          "Are you feeling better, Sir Kuja?"

          Was that an ignorant question? At that moment, I felt bile rise in my throat and gagged. The nurse immediately rushed to my body and turned me on my side. After a few minutes of displeasure, I wiped my mouth off with the back of my wrist. Blood. Dark red blood. The sight of it made me want to vomit more.

          "Fate is…catching up to me," I whispered.

          The nurse sat me back on my back and wiped my face with a soft cloth.

          "Don't say that. I'm sure the doctors will cure you."

          Sure…that's what you think. I lifted my hand and touched her arm with my pale fingers. Flecks of skin came off as I attempted this maneuver, but it was ok. The nurse gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and walked out of the room. I breathed a sigh and smoothed my hair out of my face. Nothing better to do but stare at the ceiling. Ugh…they could have let me paint. At least I wouldn't think that I was about to die. Gaia wouldn't miss me. Not at all.

Zidane Tribal:

          I walked inside the hospital with as much confidence as an oolop in front of airship headlights. I hated being in hospitals just as much as the next person. This fear was only made worse by the fact that Kuja was in here…probably raising hell, no doubt. The thought of him doing so made me smile…just a little. I walked up to the information desk with a calm smile plastered on my face.

          "May I help you?"

          The voice came from a small petite woman sitting in a rather uncomfortable looking chair.

          "I'm looking for Kuja Tribal," I said softly.

          The woman typed something on the keypad in front of her and sighed.

          "I'm sorry, but he's in quarantine right now. You won't be able to see him?"

          Quarantine? Kuja…what have you done? I turned away from the desk, face contorted in shock.

          "Excuse me, Zidane Tribal?"

          I turned in the direction of the voice, half hoping that it was Kuja. Sadly, it wasn't. It was a girl…dressed in white with a clipboard in her arm.

          "Yes, I am Zidane Tribal," I said softly.

          "Oh good. I've been trying to find you for the last few minutes. I'm Dr. Williams, and I was assigned to take care of your brother. I have some information on what he's infected with."

          Information on the virus?

          "Um…go ahead."

          Dr. Williams sighed.

          "He has a completely new case of yellow fever. We're not exactly sure on how to treat it. Right now, we've given him fluids through IV and some painkillers. But I doubt it's making him feel any better."

          "I need to go see him. I need to talk to him."

          Dr. Williams shook her head.

          "I'm not sure the nurses will let you up there. But I suppose you can. Come on."

Kuja Tribal:

          It was hard to sleep on my back, especially when I was woken up every few minutes to cough. Fluid kept collecting in my lungs, making it difficult to breathe. I was a wreck, pure and simple. The door at the end of my room swung open and a nurse with another trashcan walked in.

          "There's someone here to see you, Kuja."

          I opened my eyes sleepily and turned my head in the direction of the door. I squinted as a man in a yellow suit walked in.

          "Kuja, you look like crap."

          I couldn't help but chuckle at that statement. Yes, I had an odd sense of humor now that I was about to die. But…the guy did sound like Zidane.

          "Zidane?"

          The man nodded.

          "I see you are feeling better, brother."

          I snorted, despite myself. It hurt.

          "Not better…maybe worse, Zidane."

          Zidane sat down in a chair next to the bed. I could see his expression through the mask. Although he tried hard not to show it, he was deeply upset. Staying cheerful for him won't take away the sadness in his eyes.

          "Zidane…will…I die here?" I asked.

          "No! Mikoto's cooking up something to cure you. You won't die. I promise."

          I wasn't sure…if I could believe that. I coughed somewhat painfully and sighed. Zidane grabbed and squeezed my hand gently.

          "Be strong, brother."

          I'll try, Zidane. I'll try.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know. I haven't really gotten to the good stuff yet. This is more like a filler chapter to set things along. My next chapter update may take several days because I want to put as much quality into it as possible. Once again, I thank those who have reviewed. And those who haven't read…please read!


	5. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I took a little break from this story, simply because I needed time to think about how I would set it up. Well, finally, I decided to take the Bevelle Maze layout from FFX…which will be present in this chapter and the next. Don't worry, you can count on it being good. Oh…and the mention of manly tears in this fic is…common. I just wanted to say manly tears because it would sound wrong if it was just 'crying'. Enjoy!

Outbreak

Chapter 4

Alexandria Castle

Zidane Tribal:

          "How was he?"

          I lifted my head off of the desk in my study and sighed. Dagger gave me a concerned look and touched my face. I knew my eyes were bloodshot, simply because I had spent the entire night crying manly tears. Like I would tell Dagger that.

          "He was…ok, I guess."

          Dagger rolled her eyes.

          "I have a feeling that's not all of it. Its ok, Zidane. Tell me how he's feeling."

          I rubbed my eyes using one of my shirt sleeves and sighed.

          "He's not doing so well. He thinks he's going to die."

          Dagger hugged me tight and stroked my hair lovingly.

          "I'm so sorry, Zidane. I wish it hadn't happened to him."

          I bit my lip, fighting back manly tears.

          "Excuse me, I hate to interrupt you two, but Mikoto wants to talk to Zidane, now."

          I got up and pushed my chair back. I knew who the voice belonged to, but I wasn't sure I was ready to speak to Mikoto. The last time me and her spoke, she wanted to let Kuja die. I wonder what she'll say now. It better not be about experimenting on him. I got up and walked out of my study. Mikoto was just outside, engrossed in some charts.

          "You wanted me?" I asked coldly.

          "What did the doctor say about Kuja?"

          "Why should I tell you?" I snapped.

          Mikoto glared at me, eyes narrowed to slits.

          "Because I can save him, you fool."

          I wisely kept my mouth shut at her comment. I was compelled to hit her…beat her within an inch of her life. But it didn't. I swallowed hard trying to bring the words to my mind.

          "The doctors said he was fighting off a new strain of…the yellow fever virus."

          "Ah, the yellow fever virus…passed by mosquitoes…but that kind of creature went extinct years ago. So how did he get infected?"

          "The girl…the little girl. Kuja said that silver tried to maul it and it splashed blood all over him."

          Mikoto shook her head.

          "It makes no sense. Unless the newer strain makes blood toxic."

          "So what do we do, Mikoto?"

          "The doctors can do nothing for him. Like the mysterious person in the letter said, there is no cure. But I think there is a flaw to that logic. Maybe the cure lies within Kuja's body."

          Mikoto was crazy, I'll give you that. But her idea might be ingenious enough to work. That is…if it could.

          "I'm hoping that's a hunch."

          Mikoto snorted.

          "It's better than nothing, really. But I think it just may work. If it doesn't, you can kill me. Anyways, come with me. I'll show you my new invention."

Kuja Tribal:

          I tossed and turned on my bed violently, despite the fact that the sheets clung desperately to my raw skin. Flecks of skin flew up into the air, disturbed by my not-so-subtle movements. Despite the fact that I had been bathed minutes ago to help lower my temperature, my skin still continued to flake. And the fever remained sky high, leaving the doctors baffled. I could hardly eat, let alone drink, which only aggravated my situation.

          All this left me with a sense of euphoria. Maybe just…maybe I was going to die like everyone else who got infected. I opened my eyes slowly, wincing at the light. Although the doctors had dimmed the lighting…my eyes couldn't stand it. I also noticed that with each passing hour, my vision faded…bit by bit. It was hazy now…so focusing had become much more difficult.

          I reached out on my bedside window, trying to feel for the bottle of water the nurse left for me. After a few seconds of hopeless groping, I touched the top of it. I feebly pulled the bottle back to my body and placed the tip of my lips. Cold water poured over them and into my mouth quickly. I swallowed painfully as it hit the back of my throat. It took nearly all of my effort to take another swallow before giving up.

          "I must be going to die today…" I muttered to myself.

          Everything had gotten worse, the vomiting—everything! The only reason why I wasn't dead was probably because of my 'tough will to survive'. Whatever bullshit that was. I coughed somewhat and shifted to my side. This damned virus better kill me soon. I'm beginning to think I don't have a tolerance to pain. Ugh…why couldn't they end it here? I was quite willing.

          "But…there isn't a knife in sight. Someone out there hates me. Really hates me."

Zidane Tribal:

          Mikoto's invention consisted of a huge round table with attractive-looking chairs and a large amount of machinery above. I wasn't sure what it was for, but I imagine that it would be important.

          "Alright Zidane, this is what I call the Dream Machine. Once I enter the calculations, we'll be able to save Kuja."

          Mikoto=Mad Scientist.

          "Would you…uh, explain?"

          "Oh…fine. The Dream Machine's purpose is to channel spirits over long distances. I'm going to enter the exact coordinates of Kuja's body. From there, we can enter his body. I'm not exactly sure how we are going to purge the virus yet. But I'm working on it.

          "Ok…so your plan is to send our spirits into Kuja's body. And to do what…you haven't decided."

          How do you know Kuja won't object to this? And how was she so sure that will be that easy to navigate the inwards of his body? We genomes are not exactly built like humans. But if Mikoto could develop something like this…then she could surely help cure Kuja. I just hope she can keep her head on her shoulders. And then, I hope Kuja is still around to appreciate it.

          "Zidane, are you going to visit Kuja?" Mikoto asked.

          "Yeah…I think I'll bring some of his painting supplies along. Maybe it'll cheer him up."

          "Oh, good. Get those coordinates for me, won't you, brother?"

          Mikoto tossed me a small hand-held device, better known as the 'locater'.

          "I'll try."

Kuja Tribal:

          I was forced to watch a little bit of TV, while my sheets were being changed for the millionth time. There was nothing new on it really…just really depressing movies. I think that was torture enough. Even more so than the peeling of the sheets off of my skin. Speaking of which, my skin was turning bright red from the effort. The nurse laid me back on a new set of sheets, checked my IV and temperature and left.

          I didn't blame her for leaving so quickly. I would too if I was forced to take care of a really sick patient. But I knew she would be back. Probably to feed me applesauce or something. I rubbed my sore hand gently as to not upset the IV. I hate that damned thing anyway. It hurt and it itched horribly. Maybe it was a sign of completely bad luck that the skin around it was being to swell. So I tried hard not to bother it. But in my case, I couldn't help it today. Boredom and restlessness had taken control and so my nails ran over the swelling area every five minutes or so.

          "Kuja, you look well."

          I looked up only to see Zidane, dressed in a white suit with a small bag full of painting supplies. I smiled almost immediately and forget about my hand.

          "I don't believe you. Now you know I can die in peace."

          Zidane's smile turned into a frown.

          "Don't say things like that."

          He was serious, I could tell.

          "I apologize, I didn't mean it like that. I just simply meant that I won't die of boredom now."

          Zidane glanced at the TV and chuckled.

          "Nothing but reality shows, eh?" (A/N: I couldn't resist. Sorry if it ruins the sober mood.)

          "Afraid so."

          I reached out for the bag of painting supplies slowly. Zidane sat them on my lap, making me cough. After I finished coughing, I groaned. All that made my head spin.

          "Here…drink."

          Zidane rose the bottle of water up to my lips. I took a little sip of water, which was all that I could handle at the moment. However, once the liquid hit the back of my throat, I gagged. A quick turn of my body saved Zidane from having a sticky bloody mess on the suit. But the trashcan was not so lucky. While I was busy vomiting my brains out, I saw Zidane pull out a small box-shaped device and punch a few buttons.

          Naturally, I had assumed it belonged to Mikoto, but I wasn't so sure. I wiped my mouth with sleeve of my hospital gown and swallowed hard.

          "You know… I never thought I'd be throwing up blood one day…"

          Zidane looked up from the device and shook his head.

          "Just like you to be sarcastic after coughing up your lifeblood."

          I put on a look of surprise on my face.

          "Not like you to be cynical."

          "I have a lot on my mind, Kuja. Why don't you rest?"

          "Little brother, why are you worrying about me? You should be focusing on containing the rest of the virus."

          (A/N: Warning…extra sappyness!) "Kuja…I…I'm trying so hard…I just don't want to leave you behind. You're the only brother I have…"

          Zidane's shoulders were shaking…was he crying? I wasn't sure what to say. I've never had someone break down in front of me before. I was beginning to think that Zidane would kill himself if I died.

Alexandria Castle

5:56 P.M. Gaian Standard

Garnet Tribal:

          I watched Mikoto pace about in the main hall with a sigh. I wasn't sure what she and Zidane were planning to do. In fact, I was still annoyed by the fact that Zidane would not let me go see Kuja. He just said that he didn't want me along. I didn't want to argue with him. He looked like he was about to cry anyway. I hated seeing him like this.

          I couldn't ease his despair. I didn't love his brother all that much. I merely respected him because of Zidane. But now that I saw how devastated he became when Kuja took ill, I had a different ideal. Now I wanted to recover what Kuja had lost. But now, it looks like I won't have a chance. I could tell by Zidane's distress that kuja was dying.

          "Your majesty."

          I stood up and turned around. General Beatrix bowed and offered a warm smile in return.

          "Oh…Beatrix, how are you?"

          "I am just fine, Garnet. How's Zidane doing?"

          "Terrible. Kuja's illness is tearing him apart."

          "Although Kuja has done horrible things, Zidane loves him. I can understand how this may break him."

          "Beatrix…the virus…if I am unable to secure Alexandria, will you do it?"

          Beatrix bowed low.

          "I will protect Alexandria with my life."

          "Let us hope you don't have to."

          "Dagger?"

          The voice that spoke my nickname sounded weak and uncertain, but I knew it was Zidane. I turned around and embraced him gently. Mikoto watched the spectacle with a surprised look on her face.

          "How long does he have, Zidane?"

          "He says he's feeling more pain. The doctors think he won't have long to live."

          Zidane's voice was small. I hugged him tighter and let him go. As he straightened up, I saw two silver feathers embedded in his auburn hair. Kuja's gifts…I suppose.

          "What are we going to do then?" I asked.

          "Kuja has untapped power locked in his mind. If we unlock that, it will force his body to heal, thus defeating the virus completely.'

          "Ok…that's well and fine. But how are we going to get into Kuja's body?"

          "That's where the dream machine comes in. Once I get the coordinates down for Kuja's body in the computer, we can transfer our Astral bodies into his body. I've already gotten clearance for the Invincible to hover above the hospital for safe travels."

          "So the machine will beam our Astral bodies inside Kuja's dying body, right?" Zidane asked.

          "Yes. Once there, our next objective is to travel inside the brain. I'm not sure what our next plan of action is yet."

          Good…at least we had a plan. Plus…Zidane was beginning to feel better. The usual twinkle in his eyes had returned. He had hope again. My darling Zidane had hope again.

          "Well that about wraps it up, people. Zidane, prepare the others and board the Invincible. General Beatrix, I have something for you in case Alexandria gets infected with the virus. Just follow me."

Zidane Tribal:

          I knocked on Freya's door, tail twitching with excitement. I could save Kuja. Something finally came up so that I could save him without hitches. Gods above, I could! Freya answered the door with a look that said 'this better be good'.

          "What's going on, Zidane?"

          "We have a plan to save Kuja. We would be honored if you would participate."

          Freya opened her door further, revealing a very worried looking Eiko and Vivi.

          "We were worried that you wouldn't have the heart to stop this madman. So…what's the plan?" Vivi asked.

          "Ok, Mikoto has invented a dream machine that will use the Invincible's energy to channel our Astral bodies into Kuja's body. From there, we must travel to his brain and unlock his hidden powers. Mikoto is still trying to work out the logistics of how to unlock his hidden powers."

          "Not bad for a plan, but I'm pretty sure Mikoto, given time, will come up with another plan. So we go to the Invincible?"

          "Yeah."

30 Minutes Later

Zidane Tribal:

          "All engines for the Invincible are up and running, Zidane. Please proceed to the main room of the airship now."

          I glanced at Mikoto with a hopeful smile on my face. She returned the smile and tapped a few buttons on the Invincible's transparent menu. I walked out of the cockpit and into the main compartment. Freya, Dagger, Eiko and Vivi offered welcoming smiles and nods.

          "I'm worried about Alexandria, but I know Beatrix has it covered," Dagger commented.

          "If you want to go back to Alexandria, it's ok Dagger."

          "No, no…I want to stay with you. Kuja needs both of our help."

          "And ours," Freya, Vivi and Eiko chimed in.

          The room shuddered as the Invincible slowed to a stop.

          "Alright, all passengers please be prepared to begin the Dream Machine sequence mission. Please take your seats at the round table."

          I shrugged.

          "I guess we better sit."

          I picked a seat on the opposite end of the round table across from Dagger. Freya, Eiko and Vivi sat down across from each other and sighed. Mikoto walked in from the cockpit with a smug smile on her face.

          "Hi! My name is Mikoto Tribal and I'll be your flight attendant this evening. First off, please buckle up your restraining belts in the event that the Invincible has to be moved. Also, please do not chew gum while the Dream Machine is in operation. It will cause you to choke. Also, you can communicate between me and Kuja by focusing your thoughts while inside Kuja's body. Ok, if that's all I need to cover, then have a good trip!"

          She was joking, right? Mikoto walked over to the round table and pressed a few buttons on the side.

          "Good luck and may the eidolons bless your journey."

          I nodded as I collapsed into slumber.

Kuja Tribal:

          I could sense them…all of Zidane's friends. Mikoto told me that Zidane was trying to save me. And their plan was a bit hard to swallow, but I supposed it was something. I flicked my wrist slightly as I ran the paintbrush along the canvas on my lap. Painting had calmed me down considerably. But I still felt like crap. Blood was beginning to leak out of my nose and out the sides of my mouth. The doctors couldn't do anything about it. Besides, I thought it was kind of neat. (Even though it was technically bad.)

          I stopped running my paintbrush along the canvas and studied it. It was a small drawing of Alexandria's waterfront. I brushed the canvas with the base of my thumb and sighed. I winced almost immediately, for it hurt to sigh or swallow or do much of anything anymore. But I actually didn't want painkillers until it got worse. I doubt it would take long for that to happen. I suppose I'd better try to paint while I can.

Zidane Tribal:

          It was pretty strange being out of my body. It was…light…and uncontrollable. One moment my eyes were closed and the next, I was seeing things in black and white. The more I focused on things, the clearer it became. I was sitting on a small precarious ledge above something grey and blackish. It felt hot in this place…uncomfortably hot.

          "Dagger? Freya? Eiko? Vivi?"

          "I'm here," replied a small voice.

          "Where?"

          "On the ledge across from you."

          I got up and glanced directly across my location. Sure enough, there was Vivi.

          "Where are the others?" I asked.

          "I'm not sure. I just uh…kind of woke up…here."

          Great. Mikoto sent us in completely different spots. I think I had an idea on how to contact everyone else…but it was farfetched.

          "Mikoto!"

          _Yes, Zidane, what is it?_

          "The Dream Machine didn't put us in the same place. How are we supposed to find each other now?"

          _I am aware of the error. Zidane, but it is best to consult, Kuja._

          "Ugh…must I talk to him about his own body?"

          _Yes, you must._

          Great.

          "Kuja…can you hear me?"

Alexandria Castle

General Beatrix:

          It was raining hard when I finally reached the top of the castle. I wasn't sure what drew me up there in the first place, but I liked it. Like Garnet said earlier, secure Alexandria. I just hope that nothing happened anything soon. Mikoto had plenty of breathing devices to ward off the virus. But she wasn't sure on how to get it to everyone in time. Fortunately for me, there were soldiers under my command to distribute them. I sighed and gripped the hilt of my sword tightly. Something just didn't feel right. It seemed…like it had been that way since Garnet left.

          "Beatrix?"

          I whipped around quickly and pointed my sword at a familiar neck: Steiner.

          "Um…do you mind?"

          I chuckled and shook my head.

          "You just startled me, that's all."

          "You need to calm down, dear. Nothing's going to happen."

Author's Note: Potential cliffhanger. Enjoy.


End file.
